Duke ”Daddy Duke” Groner, 84, a jazz musician, began as a vocalist with Nat ”King” Cole and later became a bass player who also composed songs.
In recent years, he played in the Chicago area with groups led by Jim Beebe, Barrett Deems and others.
A resident of the Chatham neighborhood, he died Saturday in Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
”He was a buddy of mine,” Deems said. ”We played together off and on for more than 40 years. He was a good bass player and a very nice gentleman.
”A good bass man keeps good time, and he kept very good tempo. He was also a singer, and people loved his singing. Duke was a beautiful guy and a real nice human being.”
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Mr. Groner, a native of Ardmore, Okla., attended Wiley College. He sang with several big bands after Cole`s, but an entertainment tax in World War II discouraged many bands from featuring vocalists and he switched to playing bass. His band often backed up the late comedian Redd Foxx, a good friend.
After traveling extensively, he settled in Chicago. His was the house band in Robert`s Show Lounge at 66th Street and King Drive in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
He was especially noted for helping young performers, and they reciprocated with the nickname ”Daddy Duke.”
Survivors include two daughters, Geraldine Gibson and Ruth Cowan.
Plans for services are pending.